Key Takeaways
- The 14-day rule is federal law: Rent a house you also live in for less than 15 days a year, and the rent stays out of gross income, with no rental expenses deducted (26 U.S.C. § 280A(g)).
- The rule has a residence condition: Personal use has to exceed the greater of 14 days or 10% of the days rented at a fair rental (26 U.S.C. § 280A(d)(1)). A house you never use yourself is treated as rental property (IRS Topic No. 415).
- The sale has its own tax rules: Gain on a main home may be excluded up to $250,000, or $500,000 on a joint return, if you meet the 2-of-5-year ownership and use tests (IRS Topic No. 701).
- Augusta's market is slower than a year ago: The median sale price was about $215,397, roughly flat year over year, and the median time to sell rose to about 60 days from 31 (Redfin, September 2026).
- Your own records decide it: No public primary source publishes Masters week rental rates, so the keep-or-sell call rests on your booking history, your carrying costs, and your tax position.
Selling a Masters week rental in Augusta starts with three questions: what the house actually earned, how that income is taxed, and what the house would sell for today. The tournament brings visitors to Augusta every April, and some owners hold a house for that one week of rent while carrying it for the rest of the year. When the week stops covering the year, the house becomes a rental you no longer want.
This guide explains the federal 14-day rental rule in plain terms. It shows what September 2026 market data says about an Augusta rental property sale. Then it gives you a framework for deciding whether to keep the house, convert it, or sell it. It does not publish rental rates, because no primary source we could verify reports them. For the wider set of selling options in the city, see our guide to selling a house for cash in Augusta.
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Let's chatWhy do owners sell a Masters week rental?
Owners usually sell a Masters week rental because one week of rent no longer covers a full year of owning the house. Property taxes, insurance, utilities, lawn care, and repairs run all twelve months. The tournament income arrives once, and only if the house books.
Other reasons are just as common. Some owners inherited a house a parent rented out every spring and don't want to run it. Some are moving and can't manage a one-week rental from another city. Others are simply tired of the work: cleaning, handing over keys, replacing what guests broke, and getting the house ready again for the next April.
None of these reasons depends on what other owners charge. Your decision rests on your house, your records, and your plans. If you are done being a landlord altogether, our guide for tired landlords covers selling a rental as is, with or without tenants.
How does the 14-day rule work for an Augusta Masters rental?
Under the 14-day rule, rent from a house you use as a residence is left out of gross income if the house is rented for less than 15 days in the year. In exchange, you can't deduct rental expenses for that use. The rule is in 26 U.S.C. § 280A, subsection (g), titled "Special rule for certain rental use."
The statute's own words are short. Subsection (g) applies when such a dwelling unit "is actually rented for less than 15 days during the taxable year." In that case, "the income derived from such use for the taxable year shall not be included in the gross income of such taxpayer under section 61." It also says "no deduction otherwise allowable under this chapter because of the rental use of such dwelling unit shall be allowed." The IRS puts it plainly in IRS Topic No. 415 (last reviewed September 24, 2026): "don't report any of the rental income and don't deduct any expenses as rental expenses."
The residence condition
The rule applies only to a house you use as a residence during the year. Under § 280A(d)(1), a house counts as your residence if your personal-use days exceed the greater of 14 days or 10% of the days it is rented at a fair rental. An owner who lives in the house most of the year and moves out for tournament week fits that description. An owner who bought a house only to rent it may not.
That difference matters more than any rental rate. The table below sets out how the two federal sources treat the most common Masters week situations.
| Your situation | How the federal sources treat it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| You live in the house and rent it for tournament week only (fewer than 15 days in the year) | Rental income is not included in gross income. No rental expenses are deducted for that use. | 26 U.S.C. § 280A(g); IRS Topic No. 415 |
| You live in the house and rent it for 15 days or more in the year | Rental income is generally reported on Schedule E. Expenses are divided between rental use and personal use, and limits may apply. | IRS Topic No. 415 |
| You never use the house yourself and rent it to make a profit | Treated as rental property. Deductible expenses may exceed rental income, and losses are generally limited by the at-risk and passive activity loss rules. | IRS Topic No. 415 |
| You sell a house that was your main home | Gain may be excluded up to $250,000 ($500,000 on a joint return) if you meet the ownership and use tests. | IRS Topic No. 701 |
This is a summary of federal rules, not tax advice. Georgia income tax, local license rules, and the details of your year can change the answer. Take your records to a CPA or tax attorney before you file or sell.
What changes if you rent the house 15 days or more?
Once a house is rented 15 days or more in a year, the 280A(g) exclusion no longer applies, and the rental income generally goes on Schedule E. IRS Topic No. 415 says rental income and expenses are generally reported on "Schedule E (Form 1040), Supplemental Income and Loss." For a house used for both rental and personal purposes, it says you "generally must divide your total expenses between the rental use and the personal use."
This is where many Masters owners find the house has turned into a second job. A few extra weekends can push you past 14 days. That brings record keeping, expense splitting, and possibly a loss you can't fully use. The IRS points owners to Publication 527, Residential Rental Property (Including Rental of Vacation Homes), for the full rules.
If the extra bookings don't cover the extra cost and paperwork, the honest comparison is no longer "one more good week" against nothing. It is the full-year cost of owning a rental against the cash you would have after a sale.
How is the sale of a Masters week rental taxed?
The sale of a Masters week rental is taxed under separate rules from the rental income, and the 14-day rule does not decide it. If the house was your main home, you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain. On a joint return with your spouse, the limit is $500,000 (IRS Topic No. 701, reviewed October 12, 2026).
To qualify, you generally must meet both tests. You or your spouse owned the house for at least 24 months of the last 5 years. You also used it as a residence for at least 24 months of the previous 5 years. An owner who lived in the house and rented it only for tournament week may meet both tests. An owner who bought the house as a rental likely starts from a different place.
Topic No. 701 does not address rental use or depreciation. Did you ever rent the house beyond tournament week, or claim depreciation on it? Bring those records to a tax professional before you set a price, because they can change what you keep.
Start with your purchase closing statement and a list of improvements with receipts. Add every rental agreement and payout statement from past tournament weeks. Then add a calendar of your own days in the house and any tax returns that reported rental income.
What does the Augusta rental property sale market look like in 2026?
Augusta's housing market in September 2026 was flat on price and slower on time (Redfin, September 2026). The median sale price was about $215,397, up 0.2% year over year, and the median house sold in about 60 days, up from 31 a year earlier. Zillow measures the market differently. Its typical house value for Augusta was about $187,663, up about 2.4% year over year (Zillow ZHVI, September 2026).
The Redfin figures below cover the three months ending September 30, 2026, against the same period a year earlier. They describe the whole Augusta market, not houses near the course, and they don't measure rental income.
| Redfin metric, Augusta | Three months ending September 2026 | Change from a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $215,397 | Up 0.2% (from $215,000) |
| Median days on market | 60 days | Up from 31 days |
| Houses sold | 517 | Down about 10.9% (from 580) |
| Inventory | 823 | Up about 30.4% |
| Months of supply | 4.9 | Not reported |
| Average sale-to-list ratio | 97.0% | Down 0.5 points |
| Share sold above list price | 12.4% | Down 7.5 points |
| Median sale price per square foot | $133 | Down 3.9% |
Source: Redfin, September 2026. Redfin and Zillow figures are kept separate here because they measure different things: Redfin reports sale prices, and Zillow's ZHVI estimates a typical value.
For a Masters owner, the takeaway is about time. More houses are listed, fewer are selling, and the typical listing takes about twice as long as it did a year ago. Every extra month on the market is another month of taxes, insurance, and upkeep on a house that earns its rent in one week.
Should you keep or sell your Masters week rental?
Keep a Masters week rental only if your records show the tournament income, after taxes and carrying costs, beats what the cash from a sale would do for you. That test uses your numbers, not anyone else's. Work through the questions below with your statements in front of you.
| Question | Where the answer comes from | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| What did the house actually earn in each of the last three tournament weeks? | Rental agreements, payout statements, bank deposits | Whether the income is steady, rising, or falling for your house |
| Did it book every year? | Your booking history | How much a missed year costs you |
| What does the house cost to own for twelve months? | Tax bill, insurance declarations, utility and repair records, mortgage statement | The full-year number the tournament week has to cover |
| How many days did you use it yourself, and how many did you rent it? | Your own calendar | Whether the 14-day rule in 280A(g) can apply |
| Do you meet the 2-of-5-year ownership and use tests? | Purchase date and residence history | Whether the main-home exclusion in IRS Topic No. 701 may be available |
| What would the house sell for today, and how long would a listing take? | A written cash offer, an agent's opinion, Redfin data | The cash you would have, and how many more months you would carry the house |
If the answers point to keeping the house, keep it. If you have time and the house shows well, listing with an agent may net you more than a cash sale. If the answers point to selling and you want it done without repairs, showings, or another season of guests, that is where a direct cash sale fits. We'll tell you straight either way.
What about converting it to a long-term rental?
Converting to a year-round lease trades one week of high-effort income for twelve months of steady rent and a tenant. Whether it works depends on what your house would rent for and what it costs you to own, and only local lease listings and your own statements can answer that. A long-term tenant also changes the tournament question, because the house is no longer empty for the week. If you go this way and later decide to sell, Propcash buys with tenants in place.
Should you sell before or after the tournament?
Sell when your numbers and your plans say to, and treat the tournament as a contract question, not a pricing question. If you have already signed a rental agreement for the coming tournament week, read it before you list. A sale does not cancel what you agreed to, and any buyer needs to know about it.
If you have no booking, holding the house for one more April means carrying it for every month in between. Augusta listings took a median of about 60 days to sell in the three months ending September 2026 (Redfin, September 2026). A listing started late in the year may still be active when the next season begins. A direct cash sale lets you pick a closing date that falls before or after the tournament, whichever suits you.
Local rules can also matter. Before you rent the house again, or if you are unsure whether past rentals required a license or lodging tax filing, ask Augusta-Richmond County's business license office. This guide does not cover those local rules.
What are your options for selling a Masters week rental in Augusta?
Owners usually have three paths: a direct cash sale, a traditional listing with an Augusta agent, or keeping the house as a long-term rental and selling later. Each fits a different owner.
1. Direct cash sale to Propcash
Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer. Tell us about your house and we'll make you a cash offer based on local market data, and we'll show you how we got to our number. You can sell as is, with no repairs, no cleaning, and no cleanout, and no showings or open houses. You pick your closing date, and cash sales can close in as few as 7 days. There are no agent commissions and no fees, and if the offer doesn't work for you, you can walk away.
2. Traditional listing
Listing with an Augusta agent can make sense if you have time and the house is in good shape. Expect showings, and repairs a buyer's inspection may ask for. Plan around the current pace: about 60 days to sell at the median, with inventory up about 30% from a year earlier (Redfin, September 2026). Tell your agent and any buyer about the house's rental history and any booking you have signed.
3. Keep it as a long-term rental
Leasing the house year round can work if the rent covers your costs and you want to stay a landlord. It does not remove the work, it changes it. If the lease later becomes the reason you want out, a sale with the tenant in place is still an option.
The bottom line
A Masters week rental is worth keeping only if your own numbers say so. The federal 14-day rule can make one week of rent tax free for an owner who lives in the house. It does not cover a pure investment house, and it says nothing about the tax on a sale. Augusta's market in September 2026 was flat on price and slower to sell, which makes carrying costs the number to watch. If you decide to sell, see our Augusta cash house buyer page for how the process works, or get a cash offer and compare it against your other options. Propcash's offer stands while you take your time.
Sell your house “as is” for cash, on your timeline
Tell us about your house. We'll make you a cash offer based on local market data.
Let's chatFrequently Asked Questions
How much does a Masters week rental in Augusta pay?
No public primary source publishes Masters week rental rates for Augusta houses, so any range you see online is an estimate, not market data. What your house earned is in your own records: the signed rental agreements, payout statements, and bank deposits from past tournament weeks. Use those numbers, not a published range, when you decide whether to keep or sell, and ask a tax professional how that income is treated for your situation.
Do I have to pay tax on Masters week rental income?
It depends on how many days you rent the house and whether you also use it as a residence. Under 26 U.S.C. 280A(g), if you use a house as a residence and rent it for less than 15 days in the year, the rent stays out of gross income. You also deduct no rental expenses for that use. IRS Topic No. 415 states the same rule: don't report any of the rental income and don't deduct any expenses as rental expenses. Rent it 15 days or more and the income is generally reported on Schedule E.
Does the 14-day rule apply if I never live in the Augusta house?
The exclusion in 26 U.S.C. 280A(g) is written for a dwelling unit the taxpayer uses as a residence during the year. Under 280A(d)(1), that means personal use for more days than the greater of 14 days or 10 percent of the days the unit is rented at a fair rental. If the house is a pure investment you never use yourself, IRS Topic No. 415 treats it as rental property you rent to make a profit, so confirm with a tax professional before you assume the week's income is tax free.
Will selling my Masters rental trigger capital gains tax?
It can, and the answer depends on how you used the house. IRS Topic No. 701 says you may exclude up to $250,000 of gain from the sale of your main home, or up to $500,000 on a joint return. To qualify, you generally must meet ownership and use tests of at least 24 months in the last 5 years. A house you rented out, or never lived in, raises questions Topic No. 701 does not answer, so bring your purchase records and rental history to a tax professional before you set a price.
How long does an Augusta rental property sale take right now?
Listed Augusta houses sold in a median of about 60 days in the three months ending September 2026, up from 31 a year earlier (Redfin, September 2026). Inventory rose about 30% over the same year while sales fell about 11%. A direct cash sale skips the listing period, and cash sales can close in as few as 7 days once you accept an offer.
Can I sell a Masters week rental as is?
Yes. Propcash buys houses as is, so you can sell with no repairs, no cleaning, and no cleanout, and you pick your closing date. If a long-term tenant lives in the house between tournaments, Propcash buys with tenants in place, and no eviction is needed before you sell. Our offers are based on local market data, and we show you how we got to our number.
When is the best time to sell a Masters week rental?
The best time is the one that fits your own numbers and plans, not the tournament calendar alone. If you signed a rental agreement for the coming tournament week, read it before you list. Tell any buyer about it, because a sale does not erase what you agreed to. If you have no booking and the house costs more to carry than it earns, waiting for one more April adds months of taxes, insurance, and upkeep to the bill.
Data Sources: 26 U.S.C. § 280A (Cornell Legal Information Institute); IRS Topic No. 415, Renting residential and vacation property (reviewed September 24, 2026); IRS Topic No. 701, Sale of your home (reviewed October 12, 2026); Redfin Augusta housing market data (September 2026); Zillow Home Value Index for Augusta (September 2026). Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer, not a tax, legal, or financial advisor. Talk to a CPA or tax attorney about your own situation.